Category: Featured

It’s always heartwarming to witness a dream come true. Especially when the dreamer is the legendary Willie Nelson. Nelson’s alternative fuel truck stop, Willie’s World in Carl’s Corner, Texas, has finally grown from vision to reality. Nelson will celebrate the occasion during the fifth annual Willie World Grand Opening event, Feb. 24-25. Also performing will […]

It’s awfully hard to argue with the power of the Nashville Symphony Orchestra and the voices of the Fisk Jubilee Singers. Especially when they’re backing Billy Dean on a patriotic anthem. Maybe there’s inspiration and hope in the air or something. Whatever the cause, I fell for “Wave On, Old Glory.” It’s the Disc of […]

Keith Urban has been added to the GRAMMY performance schedule as part of a Bo Diddley tribute featuring fellow current nominees Buddy Guy, B.B. King, and John Mayer. At the Feb. 8 Awards show, Urban is up for Best Country Collaboration With Vocals (“Let The Wind Chase You” with Trisha Yearwood). Joining the presenter list […]

The GMA Foundation inducted artists Michael W. Smith, Dolly Parton, Dr. Bobby Jones and The Dixie Hummingbirds along with music producer Lari Goss into the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame on Feb. 2 at a ceremony at Richland Country Club. Established in 1971, the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame has inducted more than […]

Sony Music Nashville Vice President, Marketing Tom Baldrica will take on oversight of the label group’s Creative Services department alongside his current responsibilities spearheading Media and Artist Development. A 16-year label veteran, Baldrica first arrived at BNA in 1993 as Southeast regional. Working his way through the ranks, he was named to then-new role of […]

Almost escaping notice, January 2009 has trailed off into obscurity, but the short story regarding country sales continues to be, “more of the same.” Top 75 Current Country sales fell short of the 300k mark again this week reaching about 295,000 units. Year-to-date country sales are now down 20.5%. One bright spot is country digital […]

The Performance Rights Act, which would create a sound recording performance right for terrestrial radio, was reintroduced to Congress today (2/4). The bill would require radio stations, which already pay royalties to songwriters for broadcasting their music, to also pay the artists and musicians performing the songs, as well owners of the master recordings. Under […]

The ACM’s three newcomer awards—Top New Female Vocalist, Top New Male Vocalist and Top New Vocal Duo or Group—will be opened up to fan voting for the first time this year. Exclusively at GACTV.com, voting for the categories will run Fri., Feb. 13 through Thurs., March 5. After those winners are announced on March 9, […]

Country Music Hall of Fame member Vince Gill opened his run as the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum’s 2009 Artist-in-Residence last night (2/3). Treating the intimate Ford Theater audience to an acoustic set, Gill accepted requests and ran through numerous hits such as “Go Rest High On That Mountain,” “Liza Jane,” and “When […]

All of a sudden, there is a banquet of Nashville-oriented jazz releases on hand. This is a growing, strong and highly gifted segment of our music community, so this week we’re throwing the spotlight on it. There is something to recommend in every disc here. But the clear winner of the Disc of the Day […]

The Country Music Association announced today that Roy Clark, Barbara Mandrell, and Charlie McCoy will become the newest members of the coveted Country Music Hall of Fame. They will be officially inducted at the Medallion Ceremony, which takes place during an annual springtime reunion of the Hall of Fame membership. Clark, being inducted in the […]